Brustsegmente

Brustsegmente is a German term that translates to thoracic segments or chest segments in English. It is used in biology to describe the segmented nature of the chest region across different animal groups. In arthropods, the thorax is divided into three segments: Prothorax, Mesothorax, and Metathorax. Each of these segments may bear legs, wings, or other appendages, and their organization is essential for locomotion and respiration. In insects, the segmentation of the thorax is linked to the attachment sites for wings and legs and to the underlying nervous and muscular systems.

In vertebrates, the analogous concept refers to the segmentation of the thoracic region along the spine. The human thoracic cage contains twelve thoracic vertebrae (T1–T12) and associated ribs, forming a segmented chest wall. Although the term Brustsegment is not commonly used in everyday medical practice for humans, it might appear in comparative anatomy to emphasize the serial arrangement of thoracic units along the body axis (somites giving rise to vertebrae and ribs).

Developmentally, Brustsegmente arise from somites during embryogenesis, producing repetitive units that form the vertebrae, ribs, and, in arthropods, the thoracic segments themselves.

See also: Thorax, Thoracic cage, Vertebral column, Somites, Insect thorax, Metamerism.